Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been fined £7500 by CAF for sharing a series of social media posts that tarnished the ‘honour and image’ of the continent’s football body.
Aubameyang took to social media last month to reveal how he and the rest of the Gabon squad were held at Banjul Airport in Gambia for more than six hours overnight — after having their passports taken — before being allowed into the country for their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
CAF stated Aubameyang’s decision to document the event on social media was ‘offensive and degrading’.
Aubameyang began recording the squad’s situation at 11:30pm. He posted images of his team-mates sleeping on the airport floor and claimed they were made to feel like ‘hostages’ before their clash with Gambia.
Aubameyang explained how his team were held at the airport until 5.56am, less than 12 hours before their kick-off.
He called for CAF to take responsibility and use the disruption to better themselves.
He wrote: “Nice job CAF, it’s as if we were back in the 1990s.”
Before adding: “It will not demotivate us but people need to know and especially that the @CAF_Online [Confederation of African Football] take these responsibilities,.“2020 and we want Africa to grow, that’s not how we’re going to get there!!!”
Gabon lost 2-1 to Gambia later in the day and Aubameyang was quick to call out the CAF once more.
After the game he took to social media to post a picture on Instagram and tag the CAF’s account alongside a middle finger emoji.
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Aubameyang then wrote: “No words needed proud of the Panthers, even if we lost today.”As a result of Aubameyang’s social media posts, CAF also fined the Gambia’s FA £75,000, half of which was suspended for 24 months.
CAF released a statement that read: “The Gambian federation did not comply to the loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship values and rules of fair play concerning the reception of the Gabonese delegation.”